Bodies of 15 Indians killed in Vietnam boat accident to be repatriated on Monday

HANOI: The mortal remains of the 15 Indian tourists who were killed in a boat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island will be repatriated to India later on Monday, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said.

The mission said the mortal remains would be flown from Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai on Vietnam Airlines flight VN979.

"The flight is scheduled to depart Ho Chi Minh City at 1800 hrs local time and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Mumbai at 2135 hrs IST," it said in a social media post.

The embassy said the respective state governments have been informed and requested to coordinate with the affected families for the onward transportation of the mortal remains to their final destinations.

Of the 15 victims, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three were from Andhra Pradesh, and two were from Kerala. Two of the deceased were women.

"The Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City pray for the family members of the deceased," it said.

A speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists and four local crew members capsized near Hon May Rut Ngoai off Phu Quoc Island on Friday, killing 15 Indian tourists.

Sixteen others were rescued and have returned to India after receiving medical treatment, while one survivor remains in critical condition at a hospital in Phu Quoc.

The tourists were reportedly returning from an island visit when the speedboat capsized about 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai island.

The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, and Vietnamese authorities have ordered an investigation.

According to the Vietnamese news portal VN Express International, the operator of the speedboat was detained on Sunday.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, is a major tourist destination known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs and island-hopping excursions.